Knife Handle Wrapping Instructions

Two of the most useful pieces of survival equipment are a good-quality fixed blade knife and a length of parachute cord. Knives are useful as tools for building shelter and cutting firewood. Paracord is useful for constructing traps and making shelters. When travelling into backcountry, many hikers wrap a length of para cord around the handle of their fixed blade knife. The cord provides a good grip surface, but more important, is a means of compactly carrying cord for an emergency situation.

Skill level:

Easy

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Things you need

Fixed blade knife

Parachute cord (12 to 15 feet)

Masking tape

Scissors

Lighter

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Instructions

1

Place one end of a 12- to 15-foot length of paracord along the handle of a fixed blade knife. Pull the end of the cord 6 inches beyond the end of the knife handle.

2

Secure the cord to the handle of the knife with a piece of masking tape. At a point 1 inch below the guard, or point where the blade begins, secure the cord to the handle with a small piece of masking tape.

3

Hold the knife in your hand with your thumb on the masking tape. Begin wrapping the cord around the knife 1 inch above the tape. The wraps should be concentric, tight and go around the handle and length of cord taped to the handle.

4

Continue wrapping down the handle of the knife, keeping the wraps tight and uniform to each other.

5

At the bottom of the handle tie off the cord. With the end of the wrapping cord and the end taped to the handle, tie a square knot. The knot should be pulled tight against the bottom wrap to hold the wrappings in place. (See the Resource section for directions on tying a square knot.)

Tips and warnings

Cut excess cord from the square knot. You can also form a loop with the leftover length of cord by tying another square knot several inches below the first one.